Well-drilling apparatus



a. s. MINSHALL. WELL DRILLING. APPARATUS.

- APPLICATIO FILED- SEPT; 13, 1920.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921-.

lttommr G. S. MINSHALL.

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1920.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 3

13. .Mins 11 G. S. MINSHALL- WELL DRlLLI-NGAPFARATUS} APPLICATION FILED sum 13, 920.

1,396,649. Patented Nov. 8, 1921'.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- gwuantoz l3. 5.Mir 1aha11 [My/M attozvwr and the primary ratus so arranged as to absorb UNITED s'rA 'es PATENT OFFICE.

enoaen s. MINSHALL, or BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY. V

WELL-DRILLING APPARATUS.

5 and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Well- Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to well digging apparatus of the type operating a string of tools; usually consisting of a bit, sinker bar and rope socket, by raising them the length ofthe stroke and then letting them drop to 3 the bottom of the hole, the bit by this, cutting into the rock each successive operatlon, object of the invention is to provide means for counter-balancing the string of tools on the working downward stroke so as to preventfthe racing and sudden strainingof the motor. i

In well diggin apparatus of this character, the crank in raising the tools has a tendency to slow downduring the upward stroke of the tools when the engine supports the downward stroke ofthe tools when the engine isfree from theweight thereof Tins brings the crankina position to 11ft the tools before "they have delivered the full 30 force of their stroke. If the power ofthe engine is throttled down untll the crank begins to lift the tools, at the proper moment, to counteract the increase in speed, the engine will not have power-to raise the tools slowing down during It is thereto provide l app the excess power delivered by the engine during the downwardstrokeof the tools and to deliver this power to the tools duringthe upward stroke. it 1 3 A further. object of the invention is to provide an improved counter-balance for well digging apparatus wh ch permits the speed ing up of the mach ne, so that the number of strokes. delivered per minute can be con- Without lagging or the upward stroke of the tools.

fore an object ofthis invention a counterbalance beam for the siderably increased, thereby decreasing the.

time taken to dig a well;

Specification of Letters Patent.

weight thereof and then gains speed in the p A further {object of the invention isto. provide an improved means for connecting the counterbalance beamwith the walking beam, the counter-balancing beam being so Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

. Application med September is, 1920. Serial No. 409,802.

arranged as to facilitate spudding in as well as drilling in. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved well drilling machine of the above character which is durable and efiicient. in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be incorporatedwith a well machine at a minimum cost.

lVith these and other objects in view, the I invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drilling machine showing the improved counterbalancing attachment attached thereto, the

drilling machine being shown ready for spudding or starting a well hole.

ig. 2 is a similar view on large scale showing the machine ready for drilling with the tempenscrewL I Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the drilling machine showing the improved attachment applied thereto, the derrick beam being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitu dinal section through a portion of the ma chine showing the type of clutch utilized for connecting and disconnecting the band wheel with the operating shaft.

Fig. 5 is a diametric section through the clutch illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal longi tudinal section through a portion of the ma chine illustrating the means for bringing the operating wheel for the rope spool into frictional engagement with the band wheel.

Fig. 7 is a detail fragmentary view illus: tratingthe means ofconnecting one of the pitmen with the balance beam and illustratin flthe form of pitman utilized.

lleferring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A indicates a machine embodying the improved. counter-balance.

he improved machine A includes a wheeled frame B,the power delivering motor C, the band wheel D, the rope spool and actuatin means E, the derrick beam F, the drill too operating means G and the drill tools H.

' The wheeled frame B may be of the usual or any preferred construction, and includes 7 the spaced longitudinally extending side .tion type or of any other preferred type.-

beams 5, the transverse brace beams 6, and the front and rear supporting wheel trucks 7 and 8. The frame B may be of thetrac- The motor as shown is of the internal combustion type'and is mounted on the rear end of the frame B and includes the crank shaft 9 on which is mounted the drive pulley 10. 1

The drive pulley 10 is in direct alinement with the band wheel D which as shown includes ar'elatively heavy rim 11, which has its outer surface convex for a purpose which will hereinafter be more specifically dehub16 of the band'wheel D by means of the disk connecting plate 17.

A clutch.18is utilized for connecting the band wheel D to the counter shaft 12 and this clutch includes an annular friction drum 19 which is secured in 'any preferred manner to the disk 17. The annular friction drum 19 is adapted to beengaged by the expansible brake band 20 which is carried by an arm 21, that is keyed as at 22 to the counter shaft 12. The free terminals of the brake band 20 are connected together; by

means of a link and. lever connection 23,

andthis lever and link connection is adapted to have interposed in the paththereof an operating pin '24:, for actuating the brake bandto'move the same in frictional engagement with the brake drum 19. The pin 2% in the disk grooved sleeve 25, which is slidably mounted o'n the hub 16 of the band wheel D. The

slidably extends through an aperture formed body 1 7Qand is carried by a groovedsleeve 25is engaged by a crank pin 26 which is formed on the crank end 27 of the operating rod 28. 'This operating rod 28 is mounted'in suitable bearings 29 carried byth'e frame B. Itcan be seen thatb'y actuating the rod'28 the band wheel D can be connected to or ter-shaft12 for operating the crank arm 15. The rop'e spool E and the operating means therefor is provided "for. permitting the windingup of the rope, 30 for the tools H.

The spool Eis of the usual or any preferred construction ,jai' 'd is keyed fupon a transversely extending shaft; 31 which has its terminals rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 32 carriedby the side beams 5 of the wheeled frame B, -One terminal of the disconnected from the counpin 36 adjacent to its inner end and intermediate the anchor pins for the brake band. A movable hook 37 is provided for engaging the'lever 35 adjacent to its free end for holding the same in an operative position against movement. The periphery of the brake drum 33 also has formed thereon the relatively large spur gear 38, which is engaged by the relatively small spur gear 39. The spur gear wheel 39 is keyed to a shaft 40 which extends in spaced parallel relation to the rope spool shaft 31 and this shaft is connected by means of a ball joint 41 with one side beam 5 of the frame B. The opposite end of the shaft carries an eccentric 42, which is rotatably mounted within an eccentric strap 4-3, which is bolted to the other side beam 5 of the frame. The shaft 10 has keyed thereto a concaved friction wheel t4: and when the eccentric 42 is operated, the friction wheel will be moved into engagement with the rim 11 of the band wheel D. The band wheel D is connected by means of a belt 45 with the pulley wheel 10. The eccentric 1-2 is adapted to be operated by means of a lever 46 which is integrally connected thereto.

hen it is desired to operate the rope spool E, it is merely necessary to actuate the lever 46 so as to move the eccentric 42 in such a manner that the friction wheel 4 1 will be moved into engagement with the periphery of the band wheel D.

In drilling, the lever 35 can be operated periodically so as to loosen a few inches of the cable or rope as the hole becomes deeper.

The forward end of the frame B has secured thereto in any preferred manner, the derrick or supporting beam F and this beam may be constructed of any preferred materials and in any preferred manner. As shown the beam F includes the spaced side standards 50, the upper ends of which support the pulley sheave 51 around which the rope 30 is adapted to be trained when the machine is used for spudding and when the tools are to be pulled from the well.

The operating means G for the tools H consist of the walking beam 52, which is mounted intermediate its ends upon a suitable pin 53 carried by bearings mounted upon the upper end of the supporting stand ard 55. The supporting standard 55 is supported by the frame B of the apparatus.

The outer end of the beam has connected thereto for swinging movement the temper screw 56 which may be of the usual or any preferred construction. The lower end of the temper screw 56 carries the usual clamps 'Z1f01' engaging the cable 30 when drilling. The inner end of the walking beam 52 carries for swingin movement the pitman 57. The lower end of the pitman 57 is provided with a bearing for the reception of a wrist pin 58 carried by. the lower end of a second pitman 59, which is rockablymounted at its upper end as at 60 tothe counter-balancing i In operation of the apparatus, it will be drilling, the

beam6l. The upper end of the pitman 59 is connected intermediate the ends of the counter-balancing beam 61. The extreme inner end of this beam is connected for swinging movement by means of a shaft 62 tothe upstanding vertically disposed beams orstandards 63 carried by the frame. A guide pulley 64 isymounted upon the shaft 62 and this guide pulley is adapted to have trained around the same the rope or cable 30. The forward end of the counter-balancing beam 61 has swingably connected thereto the pitman rod 65,1 which in turn is connected to the wrist pin 66 of the crank arm 15 which is carried by the counter-shaft 12 which is adapted to be operated by the band wheel D. The connecting or pitman rod 59 has its lower end mounted in a suitable guide 67 carried by the outer surface of one of the side beams 5.

The upper surface of the counter-balancin beam 61 at its forward end is also provi ed with a guide pulley 68 and as can be seen from Fig. 1, the rope 30 is adapted to be trained around this pulley when the machine is used for spudding.

en the. machine is used for ordinary pitman rods 59 and 57 are connected together as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and the temper screw 56 is connected to the cable 30 in the ordinary manner.

seen that on the stroke of the pitman 65,

the entire weight of the counter-balancing the down stroke tools are being raised, the weight of the 1 full force of their stroke.

beam 61 is being lifted by the engine, while the tools are on their downward stroke.

of the pitman 65, when the counter-balancmgbeam 61 is utilized for lifting the tools and this prevents the entire load thereof from being assumed by the engine. The provision of this counter-balanc ing beam 61 places an equal load on the engine at all times, thereby preventing the racing and straining thereof. This also prcvents the too quick return of the crank arm 15 which in some instances starts its lifting stroke before the tools have delivered the The position of the counter-balancing beam 61 between the tools and the belt 45 eliminates the strain of the uneven load on the belt where it would be if the counter-balance were placed in cumbersome fly wheels on the engine.

When the machine is used for spudding the pitman 57 is disconnected from the pit man 59 and the temper screw clamps 57 are disconnected from the cable 30. The cable 30 is then trained around the pulleys 64, 68

hen it is desired to stop the operation of the pitman rod 65, it is merely necessary to operate theclutch pin 24 so as to move the same out of the path of the lever and link connection 23 of the brake band 20. This will permit the brake band 20 to move automatically out of engagement with the brake drum 19 of the band wheel D..

Fromthe foregoing description it can be seen that an exceptionally simple and du-.

rable attachment has been provided for well drilling apparatus, in which the operating parts thereof are perfectly counter-balanced, so that sudden strain on the engine is entirely eliminated, and so that the force of each stroke of the tool is permitted to be given to the rock.

hanges in details departing from the invention; but,

I claim:

1. In a drilling machine, a frame, a walking beam carried by the frame, a counterbalance beam carried by the frame, means for connecting the beams together, and means for operating one of the beams.

2. In a drilling machine, a frame, a walking beam, a counterbalance beam, means for detachably connecting the beams together, a motor, and means operatively connecting one of the beams with the motor.

3. In a drilling machine, a frame, a walkmg beam pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the frame, a counter-balance beam pivotally secured at one end to said frame, means for connecting the beams together, a motor, means for operatively connecting the motor with one of the beams.

4. In a drilling machine, a frame, a walking beam pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the frame, a counter-balance beam secured at one end to said frame, means for detachably and operatively connecting said beams together, means for connecting the work with said beams, a motor, and means operatively connecting the counter-balance beam with the motor.

5. In a drilling machine, a frame, a walking beam secured intermediate its ends to said frame, a counter-balance beam secured at its rear end to said frame, pitman rods carried by said beams and operatively conmay be made, without spirit or scope of this necting the lower ends of 15 together,

- nected together, a motor, means operatively connecting the counter-balance beam adjacent its-free end with said motor, and means for connecting the outer end of either of 5' said beams to the work. 1

6'. In a drilling machine, a frame, a walking beam pivotally secured intermediate its ends to said frame, a counter-balance beam pivotally secured adjacent its rear end to 10 said frame, a pitman rod pivotally carried string of t00ls, and means operatively connecting the string of tools with the outer end ofeither said walking beam or said counterbalancing beam. I

7 In a well digging machine, a frame, a

walking beam secured'intermediate its ends to said frame, a counter-balancing beam sccured at its free'end to said frame, a pitman rod carried by the counter-balancing beam intermediate its ends, a pitman rod carried by the rear end of said walking beam, means pivotally securing the lower ends of said pitman rods together, a crank shaft, a band wheel retatably carried by the crank shaft, a motor, means operatively connecting the motor with the bandwheel, a clutch for connecting the band wheel with the crank shaft, a pitman rod carried by the counter-balancing beam adjacent to its outer end, means connecting the last mentioned' pitman. rod with the crank shaft, a string of tools, a cable secured to the strin -of tools, a derrick beam carried by the frame, a spool for receiving the cable, means for operatively connecting the spool with the band wheel, a brake for said spool, and means for connecting said cable to the free end of said rocking beam or to said counter-balancing beam.

GEORGE s, MINSHALL. 

